298 OLD-FASHIONED SPORT 



Some gilded youths would turn up from London, fault- 

 lessly appointed, with thousands of rounds of ammuni- 

 tion ; perhaps a couple of county magnates would grace 

 the scene ; their practice was sure to be good, but their 

 bearing would be listless, and their conversation with a 

 stranger like myself who did not shoot laconic. What 

 really happened was this. After breakfast, a four-wheeled 

 phaeton crawled up the avenue to the door. Out of it 

 tumbled an elderly parson, tremulous with eagerness, 

 carefully husbanding one double-barrelled gun and a bag 

 of cartridges. Shortly after, another and younger clergy- 

 man arrived, bringing two pupils with him, the taller of 

 whom I found was to be one of the guns. Next came the 

 estate agent, and a third parson our host and his 

 brother-in-law completing a party of seven guns. We 

 were soon at work. Game was plentiful ; the pheasants 

 flew high and well rather too high and well, if the truth 

 must be told, for I was disappointed in my hope of 

 watching fine marksmanship. But it was worth a lot 

 to see how thoroughly, how supremely, these excellent 

 fellows enjoyed the sport. Not for much very much 

 would I have missed it. And then the luncheon ! At 

 the last battue I had attended, proceedings in the open 

 air were suspended punctually at 1.30, and the whole 

 party, joined by the ladies from the castle, entered 

 a huge marquee and spent an hour over a hot luncheon 

 of courses, followed by coffee and liqueurs. A most 

 agreeable picnic, even if there was rather too much of it, 

 but for sport ! field-sport, ! ! 



It was differently arranged at (the name had 



nearly escaped upon the page). After a very pretty hot 

 corner, where the scene had been enlivened by a brace of 



